Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been named a “special government employee” by President Donald Trump, according to the White House.

As reported by Reuters, this title allows Musk to work for the federal government without having to follow the same strict rules about disclosing his finances or potential conflicts of interest that apply to regular government workers.

Musk is leading Trump’s effort to cut government costs, known as the Department of Government Efficiency, while still running his private companies, which have billions of dollars in contracts with the Pentagon and intelligence agencies.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Musk’s new role, saying he is not being paid by the government and is following the law.

Special government employees like Musk can serve for up to 130 days, but Trump has not said how long Musk’s role will last.

Musk has promised to reduce the size of the federal government, but his actions have caused concern among government workers and lawmakers.

For example, Reuters reported that Musk’s team recently locked career civil servants out of computer systems that hold personal data for millions of federal employees.

Musk has also targeted the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for closure, calling it a left-wing organization that doesn’t answer to the White House.

Democratic lawmakers have criticized Musk’s growing influence, calling it inappropriate for an unelected billionaire to have so much power over the government.

Trump defended Musk, saying he can’t do anything without approval and that he has a “good, natural instinct” for cutting costs. However, Trump also said Musk would be kept away from areas where he has conflicts of interest.

Since taking office, Trump has been working to shrink the government by firing or sidelining hundreds of civil servants and replacing them with loyalists.

A U.S. official told Reuters that Trump is not closely monitoring Musk’s actions but is being kept informed.

Kathleen Clark, a government ethics expert, said Musk’s special role might allow him to avoid publicly disclosing his finances, making it harder for the public to hold him accountable for potential conflicts of interest.

Musk spent over $250 million to help Trump win the 2024 election, and on X (the social media platform he owns), he shared a post supporting his role in Trump’s cost-cutting agenda.

Reuters highlights that while Musk’s appointment gives him significant influence over the government, it also raises questions about transparency and accountability.

For now, Musk remains a key figure in Trump’s plan to reshape the federal government, but his dual roles in business and government continue to draw scrutiny.

Credit : Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-makes-musk-worlds-richest-man-special-government-employee-2025-02-03

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *